bc/regulator or dry suit

[waizenegger]

I live in northern california. I just got certified and love it. I am about to make a purchase but I don't know what to buy. Should I buy a reg and bc or a dry suit first? I am like all of us "on a budget".

 

[KrisB]

waizenegger once bubbled...
I live in northern california. I just got certified and love it. I am about to make a purchase but I don't know what to buy. Should I buy a reg and bc or a dry suit first? I am like all of us "on a budget".

Reg & BC. It's life-support equipment and you need to know where it's been. B'sides... do you really a drysuit in California?

 

[squidguy]

I did the opposite and went with a suit first because I hated how the rentals fitted me and was never comfortable on a dive - too tight/too loose.... This also gave me a chance to try different regs to see how they breathed.

My convoluted order: suit, computer, BCD, reg - all due to fit issues with rental equipment.

 

[jonnythan]

Drysuit, no question.

"Oh but reg and bc are life support equipment!" Bull. For the most part, a reg is a reg and rental BC's are all pretty much the same.

Get your exposure protection first. There's nothing worse than wearing ill fitting rental wetsuits all the time.

BTW, you can pick up a *really* great reg set online for $350 or less.

Another great thing about going this way is that you get more time to consider your BC options and do it the right way and get a back inflate or bp/wing first

 

[KrisB]

*shrug*... to each their own, I guess. Personally, I don't plan on buying a dry suit, and that's for BC waters. But hey... that's just me.

I would be inclined to suggest the same reasons for going for the reg/BC first -- it means you get to try out some different exposure suits and find one you like. And save up for a really nice one if you want to.

As jonnythan said -- for the most part, a reg is a reg. So, you try a couple out before purchase and find one that you like. Try out the AquaLung comfobite mouthpiece -- some love it, others hate it. Try out something else. Then buy.

As for BC's... there are a lot of people here that swear by a BP/wing. It's more of a cult than anything else, it seems. When asked to give qualitative or quantitative reasons as to why it is better they often say "it just is, ok?" -- dive with what you like and don't let anyone push you into DIR.

 

[jonnythan]

KrisB once bubbled...
As for BC's... there are a lot of people here that swear by a BP/wing. It's more of a cult than anything else, it seems. When asked to give qualitative or quantitative reasons as to why it is better they often say "it just is, ok?" -- dive with what you like and don't let anyone push you into DIR.

Dear lord, this comes up all the time.

Go to the BC forum and look at the posts concerning bp/wings. Just about every one of them gives a laundry list of reasons why they feel it is a better choice than a conventional BC. I don't think anyone has ever said "it just is."

Now, instead of arguing with me, think about that for a while and read the posts. Please.

 

[KrisB]

jonnythan once bubbled...

Go to the BC forum and look at the posts concerning bp/wings. Just about every one of them gives a laundry list of reasons why they feel it is a better choice than a conventional BC. I don't think anyone has ever said "it just is."

Now, instead of arguing with me, think about that for a while and read the posts. Please.

Already have. Most have some personal bias towards DIR. One that I don't subscribe to.

So far the only unbiased issue I've seen is that they're cheaper. They seem to be much more involved and much less comfortable for new divers than a jacket.

 

[Dryglove]

KrisB once bubbled...

B'sides... do you really a drysuit in California?

You gotta be kidding

 

[Dryglove]

KrisB once bubbled...
[B
As for BC's... there are a lot of people here that swear by a BP/wing. It's more of a cult than anything else, it seems. When asked to give qualitative or quantitative reasons as to why it is better they often say "it just is, ok?" -- dive with what you like and don't let anyone push you into DIR. [/B]

There is that famous "cult" word again. That statement shows how ill informed you really are. You do not have to be DIR to dive a BP/wing. I have seen plenty of divers using them that have nothing to do with DIR or their equipment configuration. Its a bc that can grow with you wether you dive singles, doubles or want to get into tech diving in the future. It works great for us cold water divers as the BP allows you to distrubute the weight and not wear it all on a belt.

 

[KrisB]

lal7176 once bubbled...
It works great for us cold water divers as the BP allows you to distrubute the weight and not wear it all on a belt.

Please define "cold water" -- somehow I find it hard to believe that California water is colder than BC... just given the lattitude.